1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a building panel obtained by forming a dot-coating layer on a designed surface including concave and convex portions as well as to a building panel manufactured through this manufacturing method.
2. Description of the Related Arts
A conventionally known method for imparting a three-dimensional effect to a designed surface of a building panel is a method in which groove-like joint portions are arranged, wherein these joint portions and protruding portions formed between these joint portions are painted with different colors (so-called two-tone coating).
Such a method is carried out, for instance, by first applying a paint of a color designed for the joint portions over the entire designed surface through spraying, and by applying a paint of a different color is applied thereafter only on the protruding portions by using a roll coater.
It is also suggested for a building panel that comprises concave and convex portions also on the protruding surfaces for imparting more superior three-dimensional effects and high-grade-looking effects.
However, the following problems are known in performing coating on designed surfaces of building panels.
In case protruding surfaces further comprise concave and convex portions as in the above-noted case, it is only partially possible to perform coating when using an ordinary roll coater.
On the other hand, in the field of printing, there is a method to perform gradational expression in which the color is successively changed from deep to pale. For enhancing concave and convex portions on protruding surfaces, the method to change the color successively from deep to pale in approaching from the convex portions towards the concave portions can be considered. With this method, three-dimensional effects of the concave and convex portions of the protruding surfaces can be enhanced through shading effects obtained thereby.
However, it is difficult to gradually change the amount of applied paint by using an ordinary roll coater, and it is thus difficult to achieve a gradational expression. Further, in trying to achieve a gradational expression through an inkjet coating method, it is difficult to achieve a desired gradational expression since the protruding surfaces are not flat but comprise concave and convex portions.
The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional problems, and it is an object thereof to provide a method for manufacturing a building panel with which a satisfactory three-dimensional effect can be easily imparted to a designed surface thereof that comprises concave and convex portions, and to provide a building panel manufactured thereby.
The present invention is a method for manufacturing a building panel obtained by forming a dot-coating layer on a designed surface thereof that comprises concave and convex portions, the method comprising the steps of
transferring a dot-presenting paint onto the designed surface for forming a plurality of coated dots by means of a transfer roll formed with a plurality of protruding portions on its roll surface in order to form the dot-coating layer,
wherein the plurality of coated dots is formed so that areas of the coated dots are varied through differences in pressurizing force applied by the protruding portions onto the designed surface.
This and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and drawings.